Joan Bergin of 'The Tudors,' Janie Bryant of 'Mad Men' and Lou Eyrich of 'Glee' talk about what inspires them and what it's like to work on a hit show.

From the full-skirted polka-dot dresses of "I Love Lucy's" Lucy Ricardo to the cone bras and figure-hugging outfits worn by the women of " Mad Men," costumes have done as much as anything to make television memorable.

In recognition of the part clothes play, more than 75 outfits from contemporary shows, including some that are nominated this year for Emmys in costume design, are on display at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising's museum and galleries in downtown Los Angeles. It's the fifth consecutive year for the show, mounted in conjunction with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. (The academy will bestow its costume awards Aug. 21 during the 2010 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards are to be telecast live on Aug. 29.)

The free exhibit, which opened July 27 and runs through Sept. 4, also includes last year's winner for outstanding costume design for a series, Robert Blackman for "Pushing Daisies."

We caught up with three of the designers FIDM is featuring this year who have been nominated in the series category (there is also an award for outstanding design for a miniseries, movie or special) to find out what inspires them and what it's like to work on their hit shows.

Bergin won Emmys for the series in 2007 and 2008 and received Irish Film & Television Academy awards in 2008 and 2009 as well. Her museum-quality costumes were featured in a Macy's display in New York City on St. Patrick's Day. Bergin has contributed to movies including"My Left Foot," "In the Name of the Father" and "The Prestige." She is currently working on the Starz Network production of "Camelot," starring Eva Green and Joseph Fiennes.

Image: How many costumes did you create for the show?

JB: I kind of lost count! My workshop was actually quite small, but across the series we made about 500 costumes and rented and modified countless others.... The amount of clothes — when I look at it now, I laugh. The relevant note is that I drape onto a form like old-style couture with a goodly degree of skill. Every detail, from cloth to braid to button. The workshop [staff] tease me.... I should just put [cloth, etc.] on the actors, pins and all, without having to make it up.

Image: Which character did you design the most for?

Bergin: Anne Boleyn. Showtime let the show take its natural course. For example, Anne came as a young girl who had studied a bit of the court but was no princess. I was able to slowly build her to become this magnificent creature.

Image: The characters don't physically age much as time progresses. The costumes are key in portraying this progression. How did you plan this out?

Bergin: I'm a great believer in research. Especially the social history around these people — it can be quite arrogant to make decisions for them. I figured, as Henry ransacked more and more churches and monasteries, he spent a lot of it on his own back and the clothes at court. I made them more opulent. As a character came more into the king's favor, they would dress better. Not unlike nowadays, as if someone were in a rising corporate position.

Image: What a sexy set! Which male and female character was your favorite to dress?

Bergin: Well, one of the things about Jonathan Rhys-Meyers [Henry] is that he is a natural clothes horse. He was very interested in the costumes. If he hadn't liked what I was doing it would have been agonizing. He really enjoyed the fittings and contributed. With women, it was Anne and Catherine Parr. We did magnificent jewelry for her [Anne's] coronation scene that cost an absolute fortune. We had a bodyguard on set!

Image: But both Henry Cavill [Charles Brandon] and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers are gorgeous. Did you have a favorite?

Bergin: Let's just say I always like things complex and difficult, and Henry [Rhys-Meyers] was more … complex.

Image: The jewelry was extraordinary. Did you create that?

Bergin: I have a lovely story — I got a letter from a company in Philadelphia called Sorrelli, huge fans of the show, who sent six pieces that were perfect for the costumes. The next two years they supplied "The Tudors" with most of the jewelry. They even have "The Tudors" collection on their website (www.sorrelli.com). There was also an Italian vendor, Autore, who lent us a $40,000 pearl necklace that was used for the decapitation of Anne.

Image: Is it true that you were inspired by modern clothing for the Tudor look?

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